Monday, June 7, 2010

Patiences- Got any?

Hey Girls,

Are you very patient? Sometimes it is hard to be patient these days when we are used to everything always happening so fast. Think about it, what do we ever have to really wait for? And I don't mean line ups or traffic jambs because that's not really waiting, in a matter of minutes or hours you do get out. But really wait? Like when you don't know the deadline, or when you don't know that it could be six to eight weeks. When you are waiting for something that you have no control over when it comes whatsoever? This is often why people have so much trouble waiting for answers to prayer. They think that God isn't talking to them just because they've grown impatient with waiting but the truth is, God's timing is not ours and we just need to be patient in waiting for his response.

Patience is what I've been learning about this year in several ways. A lot of it has been learning to trust God and wait on him for things I have little to no control over. And it's kinda strange to think that I get frustrated about stuff when really, I've only been waiting a year for somethings and that's relatively small in the big scheme of things. It seems like a terribly long time now but really it isn't. Fortunately, we have a God that understands our every emotion and understands how hard it is for us to wait. God's timing is perfect. I just have to remind myself to trust him.

Here are some verses to hold onto about patience:
Ecclesiastes 7:8 "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride."
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." 
Colossians 3:12 "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." 
2 Peter 3:15  "And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved."
James 5:7 "Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen."


I hope that encourages you to keep up your patiences even when it becomes very frustrating and sometimes depressing.  Remember how much patience God has for us. Remember how in the Old Testament God constantly forgave the Israelite people over and over again, through generations, always came back to them and showed them mercy, even when they tried his patience. He never gave up, didn't desert them either. There is a great example of patience.


So we all have our trials of patiences in our lives, let's just keep up the good work and not get angry about having to be patient but rather, look at it positively as a way to further grow in the character God wants us to have.